By Duncan Mackay
September 29 – Tottenham Hotspur have been given a deadline of until tomorrow to accept an £8.5 million ($13.5 million/€10 million) offer of help from London Mayor Boris Johnson to build a new stadium and drop their complaint over the Olympic Stadium being given to West Ham United or risk it being taken off the table.
The Premier League club have also been warned that even if they continue with their judicial review against the decision next month and the Government are forced to reopen the tender process then there is no chance of them being allowed to move into the Olympic Stadium because the Government will make it a legal requirement that the running track is retained.
Johnson and Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson are putting the pressure on Tottenham to try to ensure the row does not overshadow London’s bid to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships, which faces a critical moment next Sunday (October 1) when an Evaluation Commission from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) arrives in the capital to inspect the bid.
Johnson and Robertson are seeking to try to reassure the Evaluation Commission, which is headed by IAAF vice-president Bob Hersh, that there is no doubts over the future of the Olympic Stadium after London 2012 and Tottenham’s legal action will not jeopardise it.
A hearing in the High Court is currently scheduled for October 18, less than a month before the IAAF meets in Monte Carlo on November 11 to vote on whether London or Doha should host the 2017 World Championships.
“They’ve had a very good and final offer from the Mayor,” Robertson said.
“The chairman [Daniel Levy] of Tottenham has very encouragingly said it’s their intention to stay in Tottenham, to redevelop and to help the local community after the summer riots.
“There is no reason whatsoever to keep that judicial review in place.
“I very much hope they’d want to remove that judicial review.”
Even if they press ahead with the judicial review and win, Robertson has told them privately that he will draw up a new bid process that would ensure the track could not be ripped up, as Tottenham’s plans require.
The offer of the money from Johnson is part of a package worth £17 million ($27 million/€19.5 million), with Haringey Council, also offering £8.5 million ($13.5 million/€10 million) for Tottenham to move into a new stadium known as the Northumberland Development Project and drop their objections to the Olympic Stadium decision.
Johnson warned Joe Lewis, Tottenham’s billionaire owner, during a private meeting in London last week that he would withdraw the offer if it was not accepted quickly.
Having seen a succession of World Championship bids scuppered by a failure to produce a stadium to hold them in, Johnson and Robertson want to end any doubts for this latest campaign and signalled they will not be held to ransom by Tottenham.
The Mayor’s package includes £5 million ($7 million/€6 million) for vital infrastructure and public realm works and £3.5 million ($5.5 million/€4 million) worth of funding to secure key improvements to transport links to and from the area at Tottenham Hale and White Hart Lane stations.
The offer means that the club would be relieved of all planning gain requirements that are often associated with large scale developments and the Northumberland Park project now solely relies on a commercial decision from Tottenham to go ahead with their proposals.
“Tottenham Hotspur has long been an integral part of the community and by staying true to its roots the club now has the power to revolutionise an area of the capital that has been neglected for far too long,” said Johnson.
“Last month’s riots were a telling reminder of just how important it is for Spurs to press ahead with the development at Northumberland Park and to help kick-start a much wider regeneration project that would create jobs and give Tottenham the economic boost it deserves.
“The club knows there is no more money available from the public purse and I sincerely hope that they accept the offer we have made.
“It is not just in the best interests of Tottenham Hotspur and the fans of this great London club, but of the wider North London community.”
Ed Warner, the chairman of UK Athletics, has claimed that the row is already settled.
“The Olympic Stadium has been the subject of much debate and indeed uncertainty,” he said.
“But that is now behind us and we have full commitment to a track and athletics legacy in the Olympic Stadium.
“That will not change and that is why we can bid to host London 2017 with confidence and the full backing of the British Government.”
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